Howdy!

I’ve been getting into what I would call ‘anti-guitar’ lately. It most definitely does involve guitar but the playing is anything but traditional. I’m talking about where the musician has taken an approach that’s wilfully going for the ‘wrong notes’ … or completely abandoned ‘proper’ playing and gone for sheer mayhem, some might say ‘primitivism’ (I wouldn’t) … I would call it feeling, expression, sonic impressionism. How they get there doesn’t matter – whether it’s through learning the ‘rules’ and then breaking them or not paying regard to rules in the first place. They may go out of key wilfully or be completely unfettered by such concepts as being ‘in key’ to start with. Here are some examples.

Marc Ribot / Tom Waits – Way Down in the Hole

Mr Ribot spent many years working with Tom Waits – I can’t tell whether Marc comes at it from the studied angle – but having listed to a bunch of the different projects I think it’s more in the camp of breaking the rules. No easy feat.

Marc Ribot / John Zorn - Anulikwutsayl

Then there’s this piece he worked on with NY avant garde composer John Zorn (also worth checking out if you fancy a walk on the wild side. In a separate project Mr Zorn released an album of music to do with Mike Hammer, of the Micky Spillane detective series – Albert Collins is on it – worth hearing). But back to the collaboration with Ribot, this is called Anulikwutsayl from the album The Dreamers – there are parts where he’s not exactly out of key … but he’s not exactly in key. Be warned there are parts which are definitely not for the faint of heart:

Richard Void & the Voidoids - Blank Generation

I’ve only listened to the one song from this band – ‘Blank Generation’ – pretty sure the approach to the solo was from the ‘fk the rules’ camp. It’s good ‘n skronky. Take a listen and you’ll know what I mean. I do like in the chorus on the second rep of the name of the song he leaves a space where ‘Blank’ should be – I like it:

The Monks - Higgle Dy Piggle Dy

And then there’s The Monks … although not always easy listening there is so much that I like about these guys. Here’s a link to more information on them and their album Black Monk Time. They had some great song titles: Boys are Boys and Girls are Choice; I Hate You; and Shut Up. So freaken good! This is my favourite tune from these guys and the solo is the single most unhinged piece of mayhem I’ve ever heard. When he steps on the fuzz box duck back into the bunker and put on a helmet (I put this one in the category of “what means ‘rules’”). This is called Higgle Dy Piggle Dy:

It's great stuff - hope you found something in it. What's it all for without adventure!

Cheers,

Rosie